


As I lay me down

by Pampermousse



Category: Justified
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-26 15:49:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17144624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pampermousse/pseuds/Pampermousse
Summary: Post season 4, a series of encounters between Tim and Cassie.





	As I lay me down

The weeks following the Thompson arrest were a blur. Everyone was preoccupied with the arrest of Ava Crowder and Tim’s fatal shooting of Colton Rhodes was relegated to old and less significant news. The office was quiet, Rayan mostly gone on personal leave and Rachel just getting on with business. Art had taken some leave as well and usually Tim would enjoy the quiet, the daily grind after so much but it gave him too much time to think, too long with his own thoughts.

  
He was also drinking too much. His couple bottle of beers each night morphing into four or five, but the blurry haze was easier than the images of Colton swimming behind his eyes when he was clear-headed in the office, reading the same piece of paper over and over hoping no-one noticed.

He had learned that the file about his shooting of Colton was nearly completed. They had gotten Cassie’s account over the phone as she was staying in Louisville.

He hadn’t seen her since that day at the picnic table. He thought of her sometimes, more often than he was wont to do with a witness. Maybe it was because of Colton, and the things she had heard him say before he shot him. Or maybe it was something else.

++++++

He was slumped at the bar, having decided to vary up his nightly drinking habit by doing it public in a room full of strangers. One of the patrons had already made him, waving a cheery ‘Deputy’ when he walked in. He knew he should care but just couldn’t summon up the energy.

His phone moved silently across the bar, vibrating and flashing up Rachel’s name. He was in fit mind to know that he was in no mind to answer a phone call from Rachel right now. He listened to the message but could barely make it out apart from the words, “talking to her again.”

Putting some notes on the bar he made his way out. The fresh air was heaven and he inhaled deeply leaning against the brick wall of the bar. He needed to fucking sort himself out.

“We all go through tough times Deputy.” He heard a female voice in front of him and realised he must have said that last part out loud. Some part of his brain knew it was Cassie St. Cyr before he even opened his eyes. The remnants of Rachel’s message to him floating in his mind, making some kind of rough sense.

“Miss St. Cr.” She was watching him concerned. He tried to stand up straighter but only ended up stumbling for his footing.

“Deputy. Let me drive you home.”

“I’m fine. You should be one your way, it’s late.”

“Please. You’ve done it for me twice now. Let me return the favour.”

They drove silently for a few minutes, the hum of the truck soothing him.

“What are you doing in Lexington. I heard you were out over in Louisville now?”

She glanced sideways at him. “I thought you would have known. Your office wanted to talk to me one more time about that man you shot at the church.”

“That can’t be good.” He said before he could police himself.

“Well, I’m just planning on saying everything I said the first time so I’m not sure what use I’ll be. I was going to stop by and say hello on my way out tomorrow.” She answered.

“Where are you staying tonight?” Tim asks curious because it’s late and it’s Lexington and she doesn’t seem like a motel kind of girl. But too late he can hear it kind of sounds like an invitation. ”I mean, I don’t want to take you too far out your way.”

“In Lexington. And it’s fine. You look like you need a friendly face.”

Tim lets that go and it’s too hard to fight against his tired eyes so he closes them. When he opens them he is in his house on the sofa, and he’s so startled he lifts out of the chair. There’s a glass of water on the table, a pill and a note. “ _Take this – it will help. See you tomorrow. C_ ”

“Shit,” Tim says rubbing his eyes and head.

+++++++

Rachel raises an eyebrow at him when he gets to the office the next day and he’s surprised to find Raylan there too.

“Are congratulations in order?” He asks Raylan to delay any questions from Rachel.

“Baby’s still not arrived if that’s what you meant.” Raylan says

“It was.” Tim confirms and winces when he feels his head thump again.

“You look like the kind of bad which I hope comes from a damn good night.” Raylan says.

“Oh, it was a riot,” is all he says and is still avoiding Rachel’s eyes.

“I left a message for you. Did you get it?” Rachel asks him. He had re-listened to it this morning. Rachel saying calm and cool that internal affairs had called in Cassie St. Cyr in person to interview her again. That she just thought he should know.

“I did. Not until this morning though.”

“Well, I wouldn’t worry.”

“I’m not.” He said. He wasn’t worrying about that. He knew he was in the clear with Colton. He was slightly concerned that he had gotten so drunk that the only credible witness to said crime had driven him home last night and tucked him to sleep, the last part of which he has absolutely no memory of.

He notices the internal affairs officers in the conference room and busies himself with his computer. Rachel is giving him a curious stare. He senses Cassie before he sees her and looks up with a blank expression in his face. She glances at all of them as she passes, a serious look on her face. Raylan nods at her and Rachel gives a barely perceptible smile. He just stares impassively, realising that he hadn’t really seen her properly last night in the dark of the street and her truck.

“Well. She looks different.” Raylan says after she’s entered the conference room, not keeping the note of admiration out of his voice.

“She’s grown out her bangs and is wearing a sleeveless dress Raylan.” Rachel answers in a bored tone.

“I know. Different.”

Rachel just rolls her eyes at him.

Tim works very hard to not look at what is happening in the conference room and after half an hour Cassie comes out. She barely glances at him on her way out of the door. Raylan flashes her a smile cos he’s an asshole and Rachel just looks even more fed up than usual. Tim waits 10 minutes before leaving as well. His phone beeps with a message, ‘café round the corner.’

+++++++

She’s sitting at the counter in plain view and fiddling with her drink when he enters, her green dress standing out against the drab brown of the café. He takes the seat next to her and orders a coffee.

“You alright?” he asks.

“Just tired. Reliving all that again. Well, it’s not my favourite thing.” She turns her head to him and offers a weary smile.

“I’m sorry about last night. And thank you for driving me home, I was in no state.”

“No thanks needed. I was happy to do it,” she smiles at him kindly. “Are you ok?”

“It’s been a tough couple of months. But I’ll be fine.”

“They knew about your friend Mark. I mean they knew that you asked Colton before you shot him whether he had killed him. I said what I said before. That he drew on you and he had damned near killed me once before.”

Tim doesn’t say anything, knowing that her revealing this much to him was bad enough. And anyway, there was nothing to say.

“I hope you don’t face any trouble. I’d be happy to speak to your professionalism again if needed. So you know.”

“Thank you. But I’m sure it won’t be necessary.”

They’re quiet a moment and Tim looks at her profile. She turns to him and asks seriously, “Do you drink to help you sleep or forget?”

“It’s an either or question?” he asks back but at her smile he continues, “little of both right now.”

“I’m sorry you’re suffering.”

“No more than you I’m sure,” he replies and then feels bad. It was too presumptuous.

“I have the comfort of my faith. It helps,” she says but not in a preachy way and Tim is grateful for it. Just like she’s stating a fact.

Cassie gets up from her stool and looks at him. “Thank you Deputy for everything you’ve done for me, and the kindness you’ve shown me.” she looks down, “continue to show me.” she adds softly. She holds her hand out and he takes it to shake. It feels strangely formal yet intimate at the same time.

“You heading back to Louisville?”

“Yes. I meant what I said, if you need me to speak in the future about what happened, I’m available.”

“i appreciate it.”

He sees her walk off, running a hand through her grown-out bangs and he ignores the rolling in his belly.

++++++++++

It’s almost 8 and he’s just about to open his first beer of the evening when he hears a knock on his door. He opens it to find Cassie standing there, flustered but alert.

“I’m sorry for disturbing you. But I think I might have done something stupid.”

“Come in,” he says, gently taking her arm and bringing her into his hallway, closing the door behind her.

“I went to Boyd’s bar.”

His eyes widen and he feels his heartbeat pick up. “What were you thinking?”

“I wanted him to know who had put Ava away. I wanted him to know that his actions had consequences.”

“You’re lucky he didn’t shoot you.”

“Well he didn’t. And now he knows.” Her eyes blaze and he wonders if this is how she looks when she preaches the gospel. “He threatened me. Said to stay out of Lexington if I know what’s good for me. I’m sorry, I know I shouldn’t have done it.”

“I’ll go and talk to him. Of course you can come and go as you please. But you’re right, you shouldn’t have gone there. Although his advice is probably sound for other reasons. You should probably leave this time. This place brings out the worst in people.”

“Do you want me to leave?” And the way she asks it is different to anything else she’s said to him and he knows whatever unspoken thing that’s been there between there is becoming spoken.

Tim stays silent before saying, “Cassie. It’s been a long day.”

“Tim. That’s your name right? You’re Deputy Tim Gutterson.”

He takes a deep breath and wonders what the fuck is going on and why he’s even entertaining it.

“Tim. I can’t seem to stop thinking about you. I don’t know what to do,” she’s speaking more confidently and Tim feels his palms itch.

“You’re grateful. That I saved your life.” He tries one last time.

“Maybe,” and she’s moving in close now and leans towards him and kisses his cheek and he turns his head to capture her lips. Her mouth opens and she grabs at his shirt, bunching the material on his chest. He moves his arms around her and grabs her ass, pulling her towards him. She makes a noise at the back of her throat and he moves her back towards the wall, moving his lips down her throat, to her chest and kneels, pushing her dress up. She helps him and holds the bottom of the dress high up on her stomach and breathes loudly as he pulls down her panties. He looks up at her and her head is against the wall, eyes closed. She opens them then though and looks straight at him, swallows and nods her head. He goes down on her and feels desperate with it and her breathing turns to loud moans and he’s so turned on he can hardly believe it. She comes against him and rolls gently to the floor and looks at him with hooded eyes before climbing on him and freeing his erection from his jeans. She starts stroking him, clumsily at first and then finds the rhythm he likes and it feels so good that Tim starts mumbling incoherently, and he comes suddenly and noisily. They lay down side by side on the hallway floor, panting. She slides her fingers into his and he closes his eyes.

+++++++

When he walks into the office the next day Art calls him into his room.

“Tim. I wanted to brief you on the internal investigation of the Colton Rhodes shooting. It’s all fine. they found nothing wrong. They called Ms St. Cyr in again cos Ava said that you had vowed vengeance on Colton and that it wasn’t a lawful killing. They had to interview her again to tick the boxes but no-one ever doubted you. The fact is son, he pulled on you. And motivation at that point means shit.”

“Thanks.”

“Why don’t you take a couple of days. Everyone else has. Looks like you need it.”

Tim gets ready to argue before thinking why not? Catching up on some sleep sounds good to him.

As he gets out of his chair to leave Art stops him, “Also, cover up that hickey before Raylan gets in, he won’t be as merciful as me. You know what an asshole he is.” He’s smirking but his eyes are kind. Time just rolls his and leaves.

+++++++

They spend three days together in his house. Leave only for basic supplies and he hasn’t felt this content in a while. Cassie is easy to talk to and he finds himself telling her stuff. About Afghanistan, about Harlan. He teases her about trying to convert him but she just smiles and shakes her head. He knows she’s got to leave and he knows he can’t stop her. He wasn’t kidding when he told her that Harlan brings out the worst in people. She doesn’t ask him to come and he doesn’t offer to. But she says she’ll be in Lexington a couple of times in the next month, visiting a former parishioner who’s sick and lonely.

“Mi casa es su casa.” he says, casual and cool but sincere.

Her smile lights up her face and he can’t stop the tenderness that wells up in him, strokes his thumb across her cheek, smiling back at her.

“i’ll be seeing you Deputy,” she says.

“Make sure of it Cassie.” he replies and watches her drive away into the dusk sky.


End file.
